Timka the juggler and his wife Biribel, a storyteller, enjoy a happy life in their small cottage at the edge of the village. During the day, Timka performs for the crowds in the village square, in the evenings Biribel spins her stories as the two sit in comfort by the fireside. But one evening Timka does not return for supper. By the next morning Biribel, fearing that some terrible harm has come to her husband, sets off to find him. Along the way she asks the animals she meets if they have seen Timka, but they provide no help. She bravely passes through some scary places, but with still no sign of Timka she almost gives in to despair until...? The happy ending to this story involves the giving and receiving of a beautiful birthday gift.